Completion deadline missed due to bank error

Christyt

Pete 1717 - My main gripe has always been with the bank - hence the subject of the thread.

I had no particular concern about exchanging and completing on the same day and had heard of this happening frequently from other people - but my feeling was that she could have made it clearer to me earlier on the original completion date that I should have checked (yet again) with the bank as to what was happening with the funds, giving me a chance to sort things out earlier. However the bank had been in touch with her several times during the day so she had no reason to suspect they were going to get things so spectacularly wrong and over and over again. If thebank had done its job, of course there'd be no reason to complain, but it's when things go wrong that people often earn their money. The blame is of course, squarely on the bank which blamed it on 'communications breakdowns' on what transfers actually needed to take place.

To answer previous messages which imply I brought this on myself for contracting a cheap solicitor and organising exchange and completion on a Friday - I think the latter question has been answered by more knowledgeable posters than I. As for the way I chose my solicitor - I find it ironic to be criticised for using a comparison website (recommended in the Times among other sources), selecting not the cheapest (and not the most expensive) but the most highly recommended firm for the job. Many of my friends have told me they paid more and had no better, or even worse an experience.

I also find it ironic to find on the Moneysavingexpert forum - surely the one place where consumer rights are championed and value for money sought - I am encouraged by some to accept poor customer service and not to question this or seek compensation for this where (I believe) it is due. The fact that bank did not question my request for compensation in the slightest I feel vindicates this position. I would much rather have completed on the original day and been able to get into my house as planned.

jamesd

Christyt, I also had issues with FD after getting agreement, since it took them five tries to get an acceptably accurate offer letter to my solicitor and I. That caused my seller to worry that I wouldn't exchange and complete, though fortunately I was able to exchange a couple of weeks after that, before the worry escalated too far. Friendly and helpful on the phone but they appear to have some back office issues at the moment.

I did arrange the money to be at my solicitor's two days before completion so I'd have one full business day to deal with any issues. No problems on that side of things, though.

Christyt

Cheers Jamesd - think you're right about the backroom issues. I was thinking things might be smoother because there are relatively few mortgage approvals going through! Sounds like you left yourself more room for manoeuvre which is obviously the best way to go.